Urbanisation kills basmati in Dehradun

Known worldwide for its aroma and taste, the Dehradun basmati rice is no longer being produced in Uttarakhand's capital city, though exports of the variety from the state show a healthy trend, the government has said.

Rapid urbanisation has forced farmers to stop growing basmati in Majra and other areas of the Doon valley, state Agriculture Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has said.

Instead, the government is now focusing on nearby areas like Haridwar and Vikasnagar to grow various organic varieties of basmati as demand for the long-grained rice continues to grow in the world, he said.

Rawat said exports of basmati from Uttarakhand registered healthy growth reaching 70,680.50 quintals in 2008-09 against 55,451 quintals in 2007-08.

Basmati is also grown in Nainital and Udhamsingh Nagar district, Rawat said.

Uttarakhand farmers are getting the highest rates in the country for organic basmati paddy, officials of the state agriculture department said.

A total of 500-1,000 hectares of land is under organic basmati rice cultivation in the state, which produces nearly 800 tonnes every year, official statistics show.